[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6375198,"mediaKeyId","2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49","parentId",2142197,"title","Students show ‘Hubble-quality’ images as district outlines AI, robotics and makerspace plans","audioSeconds",2234,"startMs",1933000,"endMs",4167000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49&start=1933&end=4167","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49/thumbnail_1933000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6375198/Washington/Students-show-Hubble-quality-images-as-district-outlines-AI-robotics-and-makerspace-plans","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375198-4c3e4b5062fcb024c9a4015543431a32/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945857&Signature=iyWdLRFMWDPOCj~28YNy9QWNekH~mfnP~73sKW~caGKBDQp6S-fhDlkGaf4ERXeVFJ9sP~-920XUtCg6LaZnZ5DOFNff6wranPG6PFad-BlwUeUGSd9qDk5urATMxB81hfp9Vivp9SY7EegA49RFhLds-j8NQBzC-XFf7qxaqBkoVfz8jCpYNnWyc1CAWOPOYNGXlCFRy0KCHpDatLmzdak7bdphsFhbFCIsP1UvquEMX3CYs3aUb5DFNzlt7Jv4t74pkIjqf1boVUNgfckOesDgPm4ha-5mWJwY5-favVv6JoWHldif-CG6ZgZO932bD8R7DYr1sCcYLVuNujVU3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Peninsula School District, WA","date","2025-01-22T16:45:11Z","article","Gig Harbor High School students demonstrated the high school’s observational-astronomy program and district staff outlined expanding robotics and AI work at the Peninsula School District Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 21, 2025.

The student team showed colorized, stacked images of deep-space objects and described the technical process used to capture them. Seamus Roberts, a Gig Harbor student who presented the images, said the program uses narrowband filters and long exposures and called the results “what we believe is Hubble quality imagery.” Mia (student presenter) explained that each gas — hydrogen alpha, sulfur and oxygen — is captured separately in black-and-white, then colorized and stacked to reveal gas composition and structures.

The district’s technology leaders framed those student projects as part of a larger innovation strategy. Mel Benner, coordinator of innovation and technology support, described robot and elementary robotics expansion under the FIRST program and said the district intentionally brought elementary robotics into classrooms to broaden student access. Benner introduced a group of elementary students who described building and coding robots and presenting a project about eco-friendly tires designed to help orcas.

Chief information officer Chris Hagel described a district “tinkery” approach for AI exploration and said the district used AI tools to analyze student advisory focus-group transcripts. Hagel said the district transcribed student conversations, ran those transcripts through generative tools with prompts intended to surface themes and then produced an executive summary and an 18‑minute podcast version of the findings. He said the district will bring that AI-generated report back to students for feedback.

Hagel also said the district will publish a new web resource, psd401.ai, as a public repository of the district’s AI work and tools. He said superintendent staff and a small team were invited by Stanford University to participate as early adopters studying K–12 AI uses. Mel Benner said Stanford encouraged the district to iterate prompts and “meta‑prompt” to improve the analytic output.

Students and staff spoke about tools and funding. The observing program presenters described exposures of 5–15 minutes per frame, stacking hours of imaging per filter and software such as Stellarium and PhD2 for plate solving and tracking. Students credited a teacher and a donor — identified in the presentation as Mr. Wogemuth — with providing the telescope and funding that enabled the work.

On robotics, Benner said Peninsula is using the LEGO Spike platform and FIRST program guidelines emphasizing “gracious professionalism” and real‑world problem research. Students described prototyping several robot designs, coding during recess and advancing to regional semifinals. Benner said the district is focused on building sustainable programming across grade levels.

Why it matters: district leaders said the demonstrations are intended to show how classroom technology and extracurricular robotics feed into larger curriculum goals and workforce pathways, and to illustrate how AI can help staff process rich qualitative feedback from students faster than manual review.

“By stacking the photos and taking long exposures, we’re able to get very, very high amounts of detail,” the student presenters said during the board meeting, and district staff added they plan to use the district AI tools to inform next steps with students and staff.

Looking ahead, Hagel said district staff and two board directors will represent Peninsula at a national conference, and the district will pilot the psd401.ai site and further refine how it uses AI in advisory work. Mel Benner said the goal is to scale robotics, coding and AI “in a way that really represents all of our students.”","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Peninsula School District Board Regular Business Meeting - 01/21/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Gig Harbor High School students demonstrated the high school’s observational-astronomy program and district staff outlined expanding robotics and AI work at the Peninsula School District Board of Directors meeting on Jan. 21, 2025.","taxTitle","Peninsula School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",71171,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6375186,"Parents, students urge board to restore early public‑comment slot and protect marginalized students",630,6507000,7137000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49&start=6507&end=7137","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49/thumbnail_6507000.jpg","/articles/6375186/Washington/Parents-students-urge-board-to-restore-early-publiccomment-slot-and-protect-marginalized-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375186-bf4f2119a005545f34e7baf5d4485619/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945857&Signature=T0tdDXtM6mje7dUCDjnMnzBBT5erjIGTF70SwhSNyuowEcBzMu3-UUQ65VaaD8ZbR~de2w91kPno8GzXuds7ixktBpaklVXZFaCABiHjsyjV~xbrVKLey7kh9JwOwJ0r91kX5VPdPEEwCT6OeJmS53bOFTzSMxfq9~cZB82rfCeqYej88-9lp1DAs8a8wKbxyFFhCRXVZE9WcphYxN4GZw7-~jkUnd0VBRQNWIFBE1SPfaLYIffNP-VRKsXHC900KJzfMncaZRtQxuXBXnO71yvHtmwHHgDlAPnz9ekq1vt2-HbIhJ4GVzLAmy0PXH~xA5od457QhMh~aLgRdLHyOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several community members used the Jan. 21 public‑comment period to press the Peninsula School District Board about changes to the public‑comment process and to raise concerns about curriculum and student safety.

Dr. Anne Genode told the board the district recently changed its public‑comment scheduling so that comments related to agenda items are heard near the start of the meeting while other public comments are heard at the end. Genode said the change is out of step with neighboring districts (she cited North Kitsap, South Kitsap and Tacoma) and that moving general comments to the end of a long meeting can be a practical barrier for working families. She said parents who arrive to sign up before 6 p.m. must sometimes wait multiple hours to speak and that the change could have a “chilling effect” on public participation.

Chris Doherty, a parent of two district students, said he expects an increase in harassment and calls for book censorship in the coming weeks and urged the district to “stand firm and support our diverse students,” including by strictly enforcing the district’s zero‑tolerance policy for slurs.

Diane Nelson said she supports what she described as federal actions defending biological sex and asked the board to “remove false gender ideologies from the curriculum,” arguing those changes are necessary to protect students. Nelson referenced international studies and said she has previously raised concerns about allowing biological males who identify as women into girls’ sports and facilities.

Carol Rivera, president of the Peninsula Education Association, acknowledged the board’s work and recommended that any district grants and nonprofit lists for robotics and STEM be broad and inclusive. Rivera asked the board to ensure grant opportunity language does not name a single nonprofit and thereby exclude other existing robotics organizations that support student programs in the district.

Why it matters: public‑comment rules determine who can realistically participate and when, and speakers’ requests — from changes to meeting procedures to curriculum and student‑safety policy enforcement — are matters the board can address or clarify at future meetings.

Direct quote: \"Now if a working parent or community member wants to communicate to the board … they have to arrive before 6 PM to sign up and then wait for what can and has been multiple hours until the end of the meeting to speak,\" Dr. Anne Genode said.","Community members speaking at the Jan. 21 meeting criticized a change that moved most public comment to the end of meetings, said the shift creates a barrier for working families, and urged the district to enforce protections for Black, Native and LGBTQ students during Black History Month and beyond.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6375187,"Peninsula School Board approves agenda and a package of policy updates and retirements",5489,1175000,6664000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49&start=1175&end=6664","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49/thumbnail_1175000.jpg","/articles/6375187/Washington/Peninsula-School-Board-approves-agenda-and-a-package-of-policy-updates-and-retirements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375187-53a2554d59409cefd48a0991430f3b0e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945857&Signature=b7xoKuXSbOqid1WdmNumaIx7dr6gIVlGvDwGX1cm5444eLKebL55Ehz4lnjggmWe4Z9TfzkwFFDYvQ19A--dzBmC~exYFlOhWvu35P-IokN3iy-Izu8omnvt~inwgtUMQVeH5Ay-gleGRMBy5~qmXsa~FzM0taD4RTRRwB82QGhwb~KejIj261nzxuzauTuHFnFSIR3vbXbHPHNZvaXLcL2i9M3fJ3lRFjd4dnFFcQu4Bu1wpddZoeVaNgV0wknfSGcznpmw4O~AlvTGVJxI13OChJb~I18OS17B3Jz8JB~S4AdorR-BR2eAOHC4v~wjUdTe6RIhYas6JXPeoRZJFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Peninsula School District Board of Directors approved the meeting agenda, consent agenda and multiple policy changes during its Jan. 21, 2025 regular meeting.

Board action taken (highlights)
- Approved the meeting agenda (moved by Laurie; seconded by David). The board voted \"aye\" and the motion carried.
- Approved the consent agenda (moved by Jennifer; seconded by Chuck). The board voted \"aye\" and the motion carried.

Policy votes and retirements (each item approved by majority voice vote unless noted):
- Item 8.1 — Second reading: policy 5125 renumbered to 5260 (personnel records). Motion moved by Jennifer and seconded by Laurie; approved.
- Item 8.2 — Retirement of policy 3121 (compulsory attendance). Motion moved by David and seconded by Laurie; approved.
- Item 8.3 — Second reading: policy 3122 (excused and unexcused absences). Motion to approve was made and seconded on the record; approved (mover/second not specified in transcript).
- Item 8.4 — Retirement of policy 3445 (harassment — student policy). Motion moved by David and seconded by Lori; approved.
- Item 8.5 — Second reading: policy 5505 renumbered to 5010 (nondiscrimination and affirmative action). Motion moved by Jennifer and seconded by Lori; approved.
- Item 8.6 — Second reading: policy 5510 renumbered to 5251 (conflicts of interest). Motion moved by Laurie and seconded by Chuck; approved.
- Item 8.7 — First reading: policy 5510 (retirement programs). This was a first read; no board action taken.
- Item 8.8 — Second reading: policy 5600 renumbered to 5315 (garnishment and personal credit problems). Motion moved by David and seconded by Chuck; approved.
- Item 8.9 — First reading: policy 5407 (military leaves). First read only; no action taken.

Why it matters: the votes finalize renumbering and retirements in the district policy manual and implement updates the board agreed to consider; several items were advanced on second reading and will be incorporated into district policy records.

Procedural note: the transcript records voice votes and procedural confirmations; in many cases the board recorded \"All in favor, say aye\" and the motion was carried. Individual roll‑call tallies were not recorded in the public transcript for these motions.","At its Jan. 21 meeting the Peninsula School District Board approved the meeting agenda, consent agenda and a series of policy second readings and retirements. Items approved included renumbering/second readings for personnel and nondiscrimination policies and retirements of attendance and harassment policies.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6375192,"CFO: District faces multi‑year underfunding in MSOC and special education; staff to testify on state bills",1527,4790000,6317000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49&start=4790&end=6317","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2142197-dfc4e8c75cba0e73240ce9da5f000b49/thumbnail_4790000.jpg","/articles/6375192/Washington/CFO-District-faces-multiyear-underfunding-in-MSOC-and-special-education-staff-to-testify-on-state-bills","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6375192-db24a579cab2f636f91a636e1a126562/orig.mp4?Expires=1770945857&Signature=keFZ4S14rxLARkaaZncbqaO~6DBkwn7fHJQB4Y4adktZVP0DB-B~rBFYNn4EgqRvN20CuGFLbYna1GTztf9fKnjmb~KTivhj6HoKdXNa4TE04DodnFNXLl3w1tl1RxXzxkP8Fv5Ykhr4i~qYLZQQusI0nuQUYcb6JuM48wAruXW0UsPeQiM3J7IZSKYzlYrH~waDgJVQJdRneKrI2nkCSlK0nzmp8aQ8Nhy1zwkVmpXSPybwKtB-fTOcEYUXJYmYjdJpu5Pa6oYYsiYC~Bgb5NsqWFUmraJ811nELujlUT9drzeZBGFXjVKfcwIBdNKJs4DKAZePsWYv4jxnwy0Biw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Peninsula School District Chief Financial Officer Ashley presented the district’s December year‑to‑date financials and a legislative update during the board meeting on Jan. 21, 2025, and told the board the district faces multi‑year underfunding that affects transportation, special education and other operating costs.

Ashley said the district has been underfunded for basic materials and operations (MSOC) by about $47 million over the last five years and underfunded in special education by about $20.5 million over the same period. She told the board monthly unfunded operating costs have grown and that the district was approaching “nearly $85,000 a month unfunded” for utilities and related MSOC costs. Ashley said liability insurance costs increased sharply nationwide and that the district now pays “just under $3,000,000 alone for liability insurance.”

The CFO said federal ESSER funds that bolstered recent budgets have run out and that January apportionment from the state will “true up” revenue estimates; she said some revenue increases for enrollment were already budgeted but that the district expects to see additional apportionment money arrive later in the fiscal year.

On special education, Ashley described recent state work to reduce underfunding but said the district still faced roughly $2.6 million of unfunded special‑education costs in the last school year. She outlined proposed state bills aimed at making safety‑net funding more accessible to districts; the transcript referenced Senate Bill 5263 as a preferred vehicle because it would allow a “single multiplier” that does not rely on the percentage of time a high‑needs student spends in general education before qualifying for additional safety‑net funds. According to the CFO, SB 5263 would allow a high‑needs student with costs 1.5 times a typical general‑education student to be eligible for safety‑net consideration regardless of inclusion minutes.

Ashley also discussed transportation funding and the district’s operational decisions to reduce routes and increase ride lengths in response to funding constraints. She told the board that while the district has taken steps to manage costs, the funding model remains strained and requires state attention.

On next steps, Ashley said district staff will testify on related bills during the legislative session and advocated for a set of priorities (MSOC, special education, transportation) that district associations identified statewide.

Why it matters: the CFO framed the shortfalls as structural and ongoing and said state legislative changes are required to close gaps that affect daily services and staffing decisions.

Direct quote: \"Over the last 5 years we've been underfunded by just under $47,000,000,\" Ashley said, summarizing the materials and operations shortfall.

The district indicated a plan to file testimony and to press for SB 5263’s approach to the safety‑net multiplier, while also seeking more predictable quarterly distributions for high‑cost placements.","Peninsula School District CFO presented December year‑to‑date budget data showing multi‑year shortfalls in materials/operations (MSOC) and special education and urged state action. The district plans to testify on proposed changes to special‑education safety‑net calculations (Senate Bill 5263 cited).","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Students show ‘Hubble-quality’ images as district outlines AI, robotics and makerspace plans

Parents, students urge board to restore early public‑comment slot and protect marginalized students

Peninsula School Board approves agenda and a package of policy updates and retirements

CFO: District faces multi‑year underfunding in MSOC and special education; staff to testify on state bills